The Battle For Anubini
by Audi88
Summary: A young Jedi General in the Clone war faces his hardest task yet.


The Battle for Anubini 

1.

Jacen Ocera, Jedi Knight and General for the Grand Army of the Republic looked up at the dark sky that matched his own Jedi robes. As he was sitting in the command centre of the army camp at the foot of a mountain, he was reflecting upon the battle that had been raging the last couple of weeks. Although the campaign against the CIS (Confederacy of independent Systems) on the planet Anubini had went far better then expected, Jacen was not feeling well, in fact he was feeling very bad. All his life he had been haunted by _one_ great enemy, his fear and now it was stronger than it had been in years.

When he was knighted seven years ago, he had been foreseen to become a great Jedi, the Jedi Temple's fencing instructor; Jedi Master Cin Drallig had said that he was one of the most competent swordsmen he had ever trained and even Master Yoda, Grand Master of the Jedi Order paid a lot of attention to him. He knew this himself, but he also knew that all the remarkable feats he had ever performed had been in the presence of either his own master or other Jedi. Only the knowledge of other Jedi backing him up gave him the confidence to show his true prowess.

But he was the only Jedi on Anubini, and even though the Clone troopers were strong warriors highly superior to the CIS battle droids, they could not inspire him through the force the way a Jedi could.

After he had served under General Kenobi during the Battle of Muunilinst he was given the rank of General and sent to Anubini along with a medium task force to liberate the planet from the Separatists. The mission was not of the most important ones and the Republic had few forces to spare. That's why no other Jedi had been sent along with him, but the planet had a strategic significance enough to send at least one Jedi.

As Jacen was thinking about why the droids had retreated so fast in every confrontation since the Republic invasion three weeks ago Clone Commander PL-92 interrupted him:

- **Sir, our forces have defeated the droids in the northern areas.**

- **Very good Commander. It seems that only the city on the east side remains before we can report victory to Coruscant. Prepare the troops for a high scale assault tomorrow.**

**- Yes sir, but General is****n't the droids strategy too beneficial for us to be true?**

The Clone had said exactly what Jacen had been thinking of for a long time.

**- ****Yes… put extra defences on the perimeters and increase the scouting on the Separatist's area.**

**- Right away sir.**

Jacen couldn't get these thoughts off his mind; he had felt something elusive ever since he arrived on Anubini, was it possible that… he heard a big bang! The silent night was interrupted by laser blasts, rockets and grenades that were pouring over the camp. Jacen ran towards shelter while he picked up his comlink:

**- T****his is General Ocera, we are under attack in sector five, I repeat; under attack in sector five. All units counter attack. **He didn't have to give further orders, the white-armoured warriors were the finest soldiers ever created. They knew what to do.

Jacen saw two dozen battle droids running into the camp attacking unprepared Clone Troopers. He ran towards them while tapping into the force concentrating on the ones in the front. He unleashed his power and force-pushed half of them straight to the ground. Then he ignited his lightsaber, the ice cold blue blade cut through droids and deflected laser bolts in turn. He did all this knowing he was afraid like a little girl in a nest of Gundarks. But he had no time to be afraid in front of his men; he had to be a strong General, as strong as Master Kenobi whom he looked strongly up to.

As the Republic forces got a stronger foothold they started to press the Separatist Battle droids back. This was itself not a strange thing; the clones had during the war proved themselves to be much better soldiers than the battle droids. But right now the droids had used a terrible tactic, even for them, they had surprised the clones yes, but they showed no initiative to keep their advantage and set up a foothold.

Jacen could not consider this; he was in the heat of battle standing in front of his troops, deflecting laser fire that was meant for the clones, sending them straight back to the droids. As he saw the droids in his sector retreating towards the other side of the mountain, he decided that the droids were not going to escape just to attack his army again.

**- ****Company seven, follow the retreating droids, **he said in his comlink while leading the way for his loyal troops.

He ran towards the droids, using the force, so fast that Company seven had no chance following him at that pace. As he destroyed droid after droid with his lightsaber, he suddenly felt a rush flowing through him, a feeling he ha never experienced before and he felt instantly that his fear started to affect him less. Not even in the presence of his old Master had he felt this fascinating feeling.

General Ocera ran around the corner of where the droids had retreated with more confidence than he had had in many years, only to be met by a stun beam. His lightsaber would be ineffective against these beams because they are too wide for the thin blade of a lightsaber to deflect. He dodged the first beam, but one of the seven next got him.

Binuca City stood as a ghostly monument over the rest of the nearby landscape, it had not seen battle yet, but it soon would. The abandoned city was the last stronghold of the CIS on Anubini. Nemodian General Tedu Noba was not happy with the current situation. As he barley saw the droid army retreating in the distance, he was thinking of the last three weeks and how he had to retreat every time he had had any chance of striking the Republic forces in any way. Before the Anubinian invasion, he had prepared to at least try to fight the Republic, but then Count Dooku, CIS Head of State, had sent a dark woman and instructed Tedu that she was in command and that he was to do anything she ordered. At first she had let him wage war the way he wanted, but every time a battle was running she had ordered a retreat. He dared not oppose her; she had this dark ad cold aura which scared him more then anything in the universe. Even if he had the guts to oppose her, he had gotten clear instruction from Count Dooku and he would never disobey the Head of State, at least not a Sith Lord.

His thoughts were disturbed when he saw Republic gun ships coming near the city.

A dark bird was flying towards an orange horizon, then a white bird followed, when they both were far away it looked as though they melted with the orange horizon and then everything burst into flames.

Jacen woke up from the dream with a punch to his face.

**- Jedi scum! **A cold female voice shouted at him after she had ordered one of her guards to wake him up.

Jacen could barely see the shapes of three persons in a little room. Two of them stood on each side of him. The third stood in front of him, but unlike the strongly built people beside of him, this one was smaller and slimmer presumably this was where the female voice had come from.

While he gasped for air and tried to contain the blood spilling out of his nose he thought of his failure. How could he have been so stupid and walk right into such an obvious trap. He felt angry at himself, even though he as a Jedi was supposed to control his anger; he could not help it right now.

Drugged halve too sleep and partly paralyzed by the stun beams, Jacen was being tortured for hours by the two guards and other people. He was constantly thinking of what he had learned from his master:

**There is no pain, only the force. There is no pain, only the force. There** **is no pain only the force! **

But there was pain, lots of pain and Jacen could do nothing to stop it.

After the long hours of torture, Jacen was given a break. He was sitting groggy on his knees with the two Guards on each side of him and the woman in front of him.

**- So, a Jedi knight. A General of the Republic wins a few battles****, thinks he's invincible… and runs headlong into a trap.**

What she said was true, he had become overconfident and therefore an easy prey.

He became more awake and could see clearer. He looked up at the woman and at the same time he sensed a cold feeling through the force. A feeling he had not felt since the Battle of Muunilinst, but then he had barley felt it. Could it be? No it was impossible! Or was it really the same dark assassin that had lured Anakin Skywalker to follow her to Yavin 4, where they had clashed into a fierce lightsaber duel? When Skywalker returned he reported that he had defeated her and that she had fallen down a cliff. The Dark Jedi, whom was believed to be Asajj Ventress a former Jedi Padawan, was presumed to be dead, but here she was alive and probably strong to. Anakin Skywalker was still just a Padawan, the apprentice of Master Kenobi, but he was stronger than many of the Jedi Order's Knights, including himself.

**- Ventress? **Jacen said. His voice was barley able to hear.

She slapped him in his face at once.

**- You have not been given permission to speak Jedi scum! You are only here because my master wants you alive.**

**- Your master?**

**- Yes, Count Dooku. **She appeared to be so proud to answer this question that she didn't care about Jacen speaking.

Jacen laughed a little of this statement.

**- Dooku is not you're master and you're no Sith. **

**- Shut up, he is my master!**

He had most likely hit a nerve because she didn't slap him or anything, she just looked angry at him.

**- You'****re forgetting the rule of two, The Sith are always two, one master and one apprentice, and Dooku already has a master.**

**- Quiet Jedi! **She kicked him in his face and turned around. Was she perhaps crying?

Jacen tried to concentrate by tapping into the force, but it was hard. He could now see that the two guards were Rattatakian just like Ventress, they were big and strong, obviously chosen purposely for this mission. A mission to capture him, but why would the Sith be interested in him? Although he had been reckoned to be a promising Jedi, he had never shown any sign of real strength yet, there were many other Jedi that were much stronger than him.

As he was thinking about this, he heard Ventress receiving a message over her comlink. They were under attack by Republic forces. LAAT gun ships swept over the city bombarding the droid army. And if that wasn't enough; a strike team had entered the building they were inside of. The team was following their Generals beacon signal, Jacen had not been the only one to make mistakes today.

Jacen knew this was his chance, he had to do something. He concentrated on the force and in one instant he released himself from his handcuffs, used the force to pull Ventress' lightsaber to himself and ignited it. The hilt was curved, much like the one on Dooku's lightsaber and it produced a blood red blade. He felt that this lightsaber was strong in the dark side; he could feel its dark aura. He knew he had to be weary towards the dark side unless he wanted to be its victim, yet he felt an excitement, a rush similar to the feeling he had felt while pursuing the retreating droids. And just like last time his fear became weaker, much weaker than last time. He liked it.

Jacen instantly cut both guards in two with the red blade before he had to defend himself from a deadly slash from Ventress' other lightsaber. He knew she had two lighsabers, Anakin Skywalker had reported this after his battle with her on Yavin 4. The difference now was that she could only fight with one lightsaber and not two as she was used to, this gave Jacen an advantage. On the other hand Jacen was not used to a curved lightsaber hilt as she was which gave her an advantage.

Jacen who no longer was restricted by his fear, tapped into the rushing feeling, constantly pushing Ventress back so that she had to concentrate on defending herself, a position she was not used to. Jacen just kept attacking and attacking without having to defend himself.

He was certain of victory when she turned off her lightsaber, but before he could give her the death blow she disappeared. He couldn't understand where she had gone; he had been too concentrated with the contest to think of anything else, like her possible escape.

When he opened the door to the room where he had been tortured he saw three Rattatakian guards. With a little movement with his hand, he used the force to crush their skulls. The exiting feeling became stronger within Jacen and he smiled. When he turned around a corner in the hallway he met five Clone Troopers.

**-General Ocera.**** Are you all right?**

**- I'm fine Captain, what's our status?**

**- We have full control of this building and the LAAT's have given us enough time to get away, but the droids will overwhelm us if we stay.**

**- Very well Captain, lets leave.**

**- Yes Sir. Oh by the way, I found your lightsaber. **Jacen took the lightsaber without giving the Clone Captain as much as a thank you.

Back at the base, Jacen gave orders to prepare for a full scale assault on Binuca City within the next hours.

As he sat own to rest he realised he still had Ventress' lightsaber. When he had received his own lightsaber he must have put it in his belt behind his cloak as a reflex, or was it more to it than that? He started thinking about the Rattatakian he had killed, after all it was not the Jedi way to kill innocents and although they were working for the Separatists and the dark side, they were brutally killed without warning. But Jacen did not care, they had tortured him ruthlessly, why should he care about them?

2.

White birds were flying over the sky they sailed beautifully on a soft breeze in total harmony. One of them got separated and flew down towards a dark bird; they flew down towards a dry ground…

**-General.**

Jacen was woken up by Clone Commander PL-92. The assault on Binuca City had been hard, not even considering the tough rain. But in four days the Republic had been relatively successful and was destroying much of the Separatist's forces.

**- Yes Commander.**

**- The SPHAT walkers are in position.**

**- Good, proceed with the next phase. You know the responsibility is on you now.**

**- Yes General, but may I****…**

**- I think I have made myself very clear. **Jacen interrupted the confused Commander. **- We will proceed as planned.**

**- Yes sir. **The commander said firmly.

The Self-propelled heavy artillery walkers started to bombard the city, with the rain pouring down on them. The droid forces on Anubini had nothing to counter such firepower and it was only a matter of time before the Separatist either surrendered or was destroyed. Many CIS ships tried to escape from the planet, only to be met with fatal fire from Republic Capital sips and Starfighters.

Jacen, who knew that his target would not be one of these ships, was circling high over the city in his Delta-7 Jedi Starfighter. Unlike the standard Delta-7, Jacen's fighter was equipped with a hyperdrive which allowed him to jump to hyperspace.

As he was scouting the city he started to doubt if his plan would work, but then he was proven wrong, he saw his target. A Geonosian fanblade starfigher was emerging from the far side of the city.

**- ****Lock on to it R4. **The astromech droid on the right side of his cockpit beeped as it performed the orders.

This starfighter was of the same design as the starfighter that Ventress used when she lured Skywalker to Yavin 4 and the same as Skywalker returned with.

He felt Ventress' cold presence as he caught up with the thin starfighter. When they had reached the atmosphere of the planet, Asajj Ventress took a path that just barley avoided Republic detection. Jacen had to admit he was impressed. But he had no time for that, he had her in open space as he had planned, but he had not thought of what he was going to do now. He wanted to experience the feeling again, the total loss of fear. The stolen lightsaber had helped him on the way, but it was not sufficient, he wanted to feel what he felt in the recent combat against Ventress.

He locked his targeting computer on the starfighter and fired. But before he had even pressed the firing-button, the fanblades extended so that the fighter suddenly had the shape of a half-circle and it dodged Jacen's laser-fire. He got angry at once. He was partly angry at Ventress, but he was mainly angry at himself for making this blunder. He knew about the ship's versatility and he knew how easy it could swiftly swing away from its original course.

This also meant that the hunter had become the hunted, because Ventress had turned so fast that Jacen hadn't reacted fast enough. But she was not the only one who could perform impressive piloting feats; the Delta-7 was one of the fastest star ships in the Republic and a state of the art interceptor. Jacen had also found back to the feeling he had pursued and he was feeling stronger and more fearless.

While Ventress was trying to shoot the small starfighter, Jacen had no problem avoiding the laser-fire. He turned left and boosted up his sublight engines to it maximum, his action was too fast for Ventress and the tide had turned again. Jacen did not hesitate. As fast as he had come up to the side of the Geonosian ship, he fired his laser-cannons. Ventress was so surprised over the unorthodox act Jacen had done, that she wasn't able to avoid the laser spilling out of the Jedi starfighter.

Jacen had hit one of her fanblades; he smiled at himself, he was quite pleased with the result.

R4 beeped.

**- That's right R4, we got her. **He saw the fablades pulled in again and the ship took its original shape again.

**- Make ready for hyperspace and plug in the coordinates that our friend uses.**

He hesitated for a moment, if he left now he was in serious trouble both in the Jedi Order and in the Republic. But he did not concern, he was too intrigued right now, he didn't want to let go of the feeling that killed all the fear inside of him and he wanted revenge on Ventress.

The Geonosian fanblade starfighter went to lightspeed, followed by the Jedi Starfighter a few moments later.

Jedi Master Nokuri Kurundi stood in the elevator that led to the Jedi Council room, looking out at Coruscant's high skyscrapers.

He was uncertain of what this was about, but he had an idea. He had warned the Council about sending his former Padawan alone to Anubini without any other Jedi. He had told them about Jacen's bad confidence without any other Jedi to back him up. Jacen thought nobody else knew his weakness, but Nokuri knew him better than anyone else.

Regardless of Nokuri's warnings, the Council had been confident in their decision to send Jacen and told him not to worry. He had tried this, but in the last few days he had sensed something vaguely about his old apprentice, as if he was in pain.

He walked into the Council chamber where the twelve members sat in a circle. Some of them were only a hologram because they were on other planets leading campaigns against the Separatists.

**- Master Kurundi. **Jedi Master Mace Windu greeted him.

**- Master, **Nokuri greeted as he bowed towards his masters. **– What is this about?**

**- It's about Master Ocera; he has left Anubini while his troops were still in combat.**

**- What? **Nokuri was shocked of what he had heard. He had been concerned about him but this was not something he had foreseen.

**- We recently received a message from Clone Commander PL-92****. It seems that Master Ocera left him in charge before he left the system. Although he has left, the Republic has been victorious.**

**- I hope now that the Council realise ****that my warnings should have been considered stronger before you sent him to be in charge of an army.**

Master Windu looked at him with a stone cold face. For a moment the two Jedi Masters looked at each other as if they both had something they badly wanted to say.

**- Track down your old Padawan you must Master Kurundi, a****nd find out why he has left.**

Nokuri had been waiting for Master Yoda's words. Not leaving his eyes from Master Windu he complied:

**- Yes master, I will go to Anubini at once.**

3.

Jacen came out of hyperspace in front of a dark yellow planet. R4 started beeping.

**- I see it R4.**** It's Korriban.**

Korriban was a planet with harsh and dry environment. But the fact that the planet looked like a big graveyard was not Jacen's biggest concern. Korriban had thousands of years ago been a place of the Sith and it was still a place strong in the dark side.

Jacen could feel how much he dreaded the place, yet he could not resist the power he felt the planet also contained. He decided to search for Ventress through the force and try to find her location on the planet.

He landed in something that could look like a valley. The dusty orange ground did not look too tempting, but he sat his foot on it either way and started walking towards an entrance to a cave. He hesitated for an instant, but decided not to let his fear take over.

The pitch black cave was a maze, only a person connected to the force could navigate through it while still knowing where he was. But Jacen was not really thinking about finding the way out again, he had sensed a presence in the cave not different from what he felt from Ventress, but then again very different and undoubtedly much stronger.

He entered a large room, or maybe it was more of a hall, which was barley lit up by a few torches. He saw an old man wearing a dark brown cape on the other side of the room. When the man turned around, Jacen jumped a little before he drew out his blue lightsaber and pointed it against the smiling man.

Nokuri walked towards one of the tents in the army camps of the Republic on Anubini, he was on his way to interrogate a Nemodian General with the name Tedu Noba. PL-92 had told him that Jacen had given him command over their forces and left just before the battle was ending with no further orders.

He had a feeling that the Separatists had something to do with his friend's disappearance.

**- General Kurundi, we have tried to talk to the Separatist, but he refuses to say anything.**

**- That's all right Captain, I will deal with him myself.**

The General was sitting on a chair with four Clone troopers guarding him. Nokuri pulled a chair towards him self using the force and sat down in front of him.

**- General Tedu Noba, is that correct?**

The tired Nemodian nodded without looking Nokuri in the eyes.

**- For about three days ago a Jedi was kidnapped by your troops, he then escaped after a rescue operation. Less than a day ago the same Jedi left the planet while the last battle on the planet was raging. I have a feeling that you know something about this.**

**- I will say nothing. **Tedu tried to sound convincing, but did not manage to succeed. Nokuri was not shaken by his statement.

**- Now let's not pretend you are going to ****be tough. We both know you Nemodians are cowards unless you have thousands of battle droids to support you. **He looked the tall being into his eyes and used the force to influence his mind.

**- All right, I'll tell you what I know. **Nokuri smiled warmly as he saw the Nemodian giving up.

**- Prior to the invasion, a dark woman was sent here to take command, although she had no military ranking I was ordered to obey her**** orders no matter what. I never dreamed that she would order a retreat in every situation, I tried to talk some sense into her, but when she looked at me I dared not say anything. **

**Three days ago she ordered a surprise attack on the Republic camp; I was glad for this, but as soon as she had gotten what she was after she ordered a new retreat. Then later Binuca City was struck by a hit and run attack. Afterwards she was furious with me, saying it was my fault her "pri****ze" had escaped because I didn't protect the city good enough. I presume her "prize" was that Jedi you talked about.**

Nokuri nodded as he looked down, now standing up trying to fully understand all the information he had gotten.

**- This "dark woman," where is she now?**

**- Oh, she is not here. **Nokuri noticed how bitter Tedu Noba looked.

**- On the third day of the Republic big assault, she left. I begged her to stay and use her powers to help us, but she wouldn't listen.**** As I saw her ship taking off, another one followed her into space.**

Nokuri couldn't help himself feeling sorry for the young General. This had probably been his chance to prove his worth, but he had been a victim of orders and he had not had any choice. Then a terrible thought struck him; he turned around and asked:

**- Who gave the orders? **Tedu Noba was surprised to see the rather balanced Jedi Master suddenly so worried.

**- I got my orders from the Head of State himself. **Nokuri opened his eyes widely.

**- Dooku?**

**- Yes. **The Nemodian nodded. He couldn't understand Nokuri's sudden reaction.

Former Jedi Master Count Dooku was quite happy with the current situation. The war between the Republic and the CIS, which he had partly created, was raging across the Galaxy. His task now as a Sith Lord was to thin out the ranks of the Jedi, but merely killing them would not be enough. To crush the spirit of the Jedi he had to turn some of them to the dark side and make them kill some of their former brothers.

He turned around and grinningly greeted his target:

**- Welcome General Ocera, I must say**** I'm surprised you arrived, you do impress me.**

As Jacen pointed his lightsaber at the old man he couldn't help to be amazed by the former Jedi's elegance.

He wanted to say something, but he didn't find the proper words, he wanted to defeat the Sith Lord, but he knew that this adversary was far out of his reach. On Geonosis Dooku had defeated Master Kenobi and the skilful Skywalker without much trouble and then he held his own again Master Yoda before he was able to escape. But what if he concentrated on his new strong feeling?

**- You do know that this new "feeling" of yours is nothing more then your anger.**

Jacen looked at Dooku; he had walked closer and held now the tip of his lightsaber less than a meter away from him. How could he know this, he knew he was powerful but no Jedi had read his mind like this.

**- I don't know what you're talking about. **He tried to sound convincing, but Dooku just laughed, and then became dead serious:

**- You have only begun to search the dark side and yet you have thrown away everything you knew just to get more knowledge about it. I have watched you for quite a while Jacen, you have great power, let me guide you and you will ****become more powerful then you could ever become as a Jedi.**

Jacen was furious, how dared that traitorous scum talk like that about him, or the Jedi for that matter. Dooku could feel Jacen's anger boiling up inside of him, begging to emerge.

Dooku turned on his lightsaber and attacked so fast that Jacen barley was able to stop the deadly blow, but he was forced to continue the defending himself from the many attacks that the superior swordsman served him. The clashes between the read and the blue blade lighted the room up more than the torches did.

Jacen had never seen swordplay like this before, not even his most extreme sparring with Jedi Master Cin Drallig had been this intense. He had big trouble keeping up the pace, constantly having in mind what Dooku had said about his feeling. Was it really anger? He knew anger was a path to the dark side and the dark side equalled suffering, if what he had learned from his Master was true.

He felt that his fear started to take over again, he wouldn't let that happen. He'd rather turn to anger. He started finding back to the rushing feeling that helped him on the battlefield on Anubini and in his duels against Ventress. He knew he had to push his new power towards its fullest extend if he was to defeat Dooku. He concentrated on his wish to defeat Dooku; he felt new excitement flowing through him. It helped him indeed; he started to come on the offensive, and slowly he turn out to be in control of the duel. He made Dooku leave his left side undefended, but just as he was about to fatally attack; the Sith Lord met his blade and knocked it out of his hand with an extremely hard swing, the next second Dooku force-pushed Jacen straight into the wall.

When he fell down he tried to claim his lightsaber using the force, but Dooku had already fetched it. He still had enough strength to rise up, but he saw no point now as Dooku was in total control.

**- General Ocera did you really think I was intere****sted in such a weak one as your self? I only sent one of my assassins on you because I knew you would easily cave to the dark side, making you a simple competitor.**

Jacen looked up at the Dooku with anguish; his heart pounding with rage.

**-The dark side is for the strong, not for ****the weak like you.**

The old man was no longer as elegant as he had been before; he now talked to Jacen with an angry tone, making Jacen's hate stronger and stronger.

Jacen could see no way out of this situation; he knew Dooku was far beyond his powers. But wait, he suddenly realised he had another lightsaber in his belt. The curved lightsaber which had belonged to Ventress was hidden behind his robe. If he used this chance to surprise Dooku, he might get a chance to strike him down quickly. But he knew were that would lead him, it would most likely send him towards to the dark side and perhaps cut him off from the Jed Order. Then again he had a responsibility for the Jedi and the Republic, if he seized this chance he would destroy the leader of the Separatists and destroy a Sith Lord. It was his responsibility as a Jedi and as a General of the Republic!

**- I wonder what way would be the suitable way of killing you. **Dooku said as he turned around and slowly walked away.

Jacen summoned all his powers, his anger, hate and rage; he leaped up, ignited the red lightsaber, headed for Dooku and was met with something more painful than anything he had felt before.

Dooku had been quite prepared for this fury-attack. Just before Jacen had reached him he had unleashed his force lightning. The same power he had used against Kenobi, Skywalker and Yoda on Geonosis.

**- Good General Ocera, very good indeed.**

Jacen who was in burning pain could not figure out what Dooku was up to now. As he started coughing, the old man was again friendly and stood now beside him.

**- I had to know whether or not you were strong enough to join the dark side and if you had enough hate inside of you. You are no match for me now, but if you let me instruct you you'll become more powerful and one day you might rise to the rank of a Sith.**

The thought of becoming a Sith disgusted Jacen, but he didn't have much choice right now. If he declined Dooku's offer he would be dead for sure, but if he accepted he would most certainly succumb fully to the dark side. It was a bit tempting, he thought about his fear, how he would be able to finally conquer his fear.

If he was to accept he might be able to receive information about the Separatists, information that could help the Republic. He could help the Republic, it was worth it.

He sat himself up to his knees.

**- I will join you; teach me the ways of the dark side. Make me strong. **Dooku smiled at him.

**- I will teach you, but I cannot take you as an apprent****ice.**

**- I know.**

**- You will however be able to explore your new power on the next mission I will send you on. **

If Dooku was sending him on a mission it could have been a chance for Jacen to escape, but Dooku had now gottensuch a strong grip over him, the dark aura he possessed was too irresistible, Jacen didn't want to escape anymore, he wanted the great power the old man possessed.

**- ****Oh by the way, Asajj wants her lightsaber back.**

Jacen gave Dooku a dark smile as he rose up, then he gave him the curved lightsaber and received his old one.

4.

On an Acclamator I-class star cruiser, Nokuri Kurundi was watching Anubini from space. Most of the fleet that had conquered the planet was about to leave for coruscant were it would be redirected to serve other Generals. Nokuri was unable to find his old Padawan, he had reported what he had learned to the Jedi Council, but he could not see any way he could find Jacen. If Count Dooku was interested in Jacen, he would probably have gotten hold of him by now. But what would the Sith Lord want with the young Jedi Knight, would he kill him, or did he want to lure him to the dark side? The thought of Jacen either dead or evil gave Nokuri a dreadful feeling. He loved his old apprentice. Although attachments of most kinds were forbidden for a Jedi, he couldn't help it. He loved Jacen like his own brother, or even like his own son. He had trained Jacen since he was thirteen and he had since then formed a bond with the young Jedi that had grown strongly over the years.

He tried to reach out through the force searching for Jacen; his thought was bent on finding his lost friend. He felt something vague, much like what he had felt before he left for this mission, he felt pain and suffering. Then a vision appeared to him, he saw an orange ground and an opening to a cave. As the vision progressed into the cave he saw distantly a duel between a red and a blue blade, then the vision disappeared and Nokuri was back on the star cruiser.

He thought about the orange ground, as he still sensed a direction of where Jacen was he opened a galaxy map to find the planet he was looking for. Korriban, the sole planet of the Horuseth system would match the direction the Jedi Starfighter had jumped into hyperspace, right after that its homing beacon had been turned off. He decided to go there, it was worth a try.

Nokuri emerged from hyperspace in his standard Delta-7 Jedi Starfighter. Unlike Jacen's fighter, this starfighter didn't have its own hyperdrive, so he had to use a hyperdrive ring that the ship was connected to during lightspeed.

When he descended down towards the place he could feel a strong presence. He landed the starfighter on the same location his vision had taken place. As he climbed off his Delta-7 he thought to himself that he at least was not on the wrong planet. He saw the opening to the cave he had seen in his vision and was about to enter before a cold voice talked to him:

**- You will not find what you seek in there.**

Nokuri turned around and saw a dark woman.

**- What are you talking about?**

**- My master has already left with the one you are seeking. And you will not be able to meet him again.**

**- Why?**

**- Because I am going to kill you. ** She drew out two curved hilts and extended their two red blades before she jumped up against the Jedi Master.

Nokuri ignited his blue lightsaber and received rapid attacks from the skilled challenger.

He was impressed by her swift swordplay; she had been well trained, by Count Dooku he presumed. But Nokuri was a veteran in swordsmanship. He did not have much problem with anticipating her moves and then to counter attack them.

He made her go on the defensive and made her so busy that he could force-push her away from himself. When she got up, she didn't continue to attack him as he anticipated; she made a major leap away from him, then got on her hidden speeder-bike and drove away.

Nokuri was about to enter his Jedi Starfigter in order to pursue her, but then he suddenly felt something terrible. He felt Jacen much stronger than he had done before; he felt his pain and his suffering as if he was experiencing it himself. But more importantly; he could feel were his old Padawan was.

The planet Farmoni was a peaceful place that consisted mostly of water, but it had many islands that the inhabitants had colonised, expanded and created massive farms. The people were originally from under water, but they had adapted to the surface over many years.

This Republic planet produced more raw material than it needed itself, therefore they exported much. Their export fed many planets in the Republic.

Normally nobody would attack such an innocent target, not even during a war. But Jacen, who now flew at it, was on a mission for the Sith. He knew within himself that he didn't really want to harm innocent people, but if he was to be included with the Separatists, and then give the Republic the vital information, he had to do this.

He landed his fighter at one of the largest farming colonies; before he got out it he pulled his hood over his head.

A native Farmonian came to greet him welcome:

**- Welcome Master Jedi. **

Jacen didn't say anything, instead he walked past him, and the Farmonian followed him.

**- ****Are you here to check on the process for the Republic?**

**- Yes.**

**- I must say I'm surprised that the Republic can afford to send a Jedi to do such a simple task, considering the warfare and****…**

Jacen stopped and used the force to crush his skull like he had done with the Rattatakian guards.

When Jacen then ignited his lightsaber the other Farmonians started running away in terror, but they had no chance to escape, either they were killed with Jacen's dark force powers or they met his blade.

As he took more and more lives Jacen started feeling more alive, his rushing feeling became stronger for every head he severed from its body and he felt stronger and more powerful than ever.

His fear was gone; it would never bother him again.

The authorities on Farmoni received a distress signal and sent the local military. Then they saw that the colony suddenly was on fire and sent firespeeders. But all of them ended their lives at the hands of Jacen Ocera. They tried to contact the Republic, but all communication had been jammed.

5.

When Jacen had destroyed the colony, he was quick to enter his Starfighter and go to other colonies. The small air force of Farmoni tried to stop him, but they were all out piloted and shot down by Jacen.

For each Farmonian he killed, for each colony he destroyed, his hunger for more power grew. He couldn't stop himself; he needed more! But at the same time he suffered, he had never been in so much pain, not even when Count Dooku had sent his lightning at him. The pain was unbearable, nevertheless it made him continue.

By nightfall he had set fire to his seventh colony. He walked into one of the tall buildings, one he purposely had not set fire to. When he had killed almost every one of the people inside, he walked to the top floor. There was one single person alive. Jacen lifted the terrified person up and choked him with the force, but he instantly felt another force stopping him and putting the Farmonian safely on ground.

**- Stop Jacen! Don't do it. **Jacen turned around a saw his old master. Nokuri was standing before him, looking like some sort of angel with white and beige robes. Jacen had never seen him so serious yet at the same time he looked very worried. But unlike the other times when his master had been serious, Jacen was not going to apologise.

**- So you're the reason they're not trying to stop me anymore.**

**- Is that all you've got to say?**

**- Yes.**

**- Don't do this Jacen, you don't have to, you can still…**

**- I am doing what's best for the Republic!** Jacen was now shouting in anger, but he knew how untrue this statement really was.

**- By killing its people? **Nokuri clearly sounded more and more upset.

**- Well I wouldn't expect you to understand!**Nokuri was shocked and clearly a little hurt. Jacen had implied something strong with this statement. He suddenly became very humble.

**- Have I really been such a bad teacher?**** Have I really failed you this much?**

Jacen wouldn't answer; instead he threw away his robe and turned on his lightsaber.

**- I don't want to fight you Jacen.**

**- Then prepare to die!**

Jacen leaped forward and attacked Nokuri who pulled up and extended his lightsaber in the last second. As a true Jedi, he didn't attack his opponent; he was constantly on the defensive. Jacen on the other hand was now an instrument of the dark side and furiously attacked his old master with all the power he could generate. In his youth he had from time to time been angry at his mentor. These thoughts were what he focused on, and his hatred towards Nokuri grew while he hammered on the Jedi Master's lightsaber.

Jacen was unable to hold off the fire with the force because of the fight. Because of this the fires that raged the colony eventually reached the building they were inside of. Nokuri was the first one to jump off the building. In order to get away from the worst flames, he ran towards the ocean with Jacen on his heels.

As the fighting became more critical down by the ocean side, Nokuri realised he had to wake up Jacen from the dark trance he was in. When Jacen anticipated a defence block from his old master, Nokuri instead flew over him and landed twenty feet away from him, Jacen then turned around preparing for a new attack only to be met by a force-push that sent him down to the ground.

When he got up Nokuri came a little closer. They both looked each other in their eyes.

**- Jacen****! Stop this madness.** Nokuri was now shouting in frustration at his old friend.

**- I have to do it in order to help the Republic.** At this pointJacen's shouting sounded more like he was sad than angry.

**- That isn't true and you know it! Do you… **he had to breathe a little **- Do you believe Dooku will include you in his plot if he is not one hundred percent sure of your allegiance. If he'll ever be that sure you will have fallen so much into darkness you won't care about the Republic or the Jedi for that matter. **There was a brief pause and Jacen descended his head and closed his eyes as if he was trying to conceal tears.

**- The Jedi are weak.**

**- T****hat is not your words Jacen.**

Jacen looked hard on Nokuri; some tears came out of his eyes. Nokuri could feel the pain Jacen was in. he turned off his lightsaber and walked closer towards Jacen.

**- I will not fight you anymore Jacen. I love you****! Like my own brother.**

Jacen responded with an angry face, he raised his blade ready to strike down his old master as anger raged inside of him, but then a fear struck him. Not the kind of fear he had experienced before, but the fear of becoming a minion of the dark side, the fear of have to kill hundreds of people again, the fear of never being a Jedi again and last, but not least; the fear of never seeing Nokuri again.

He turned off his lightsaber and dropped it, and then he burst out in tears. Nokuri took his arms around him and comforted his dear friend.

**- I'm so sorry Master, I'm so sorry.**

**- Its all right Jacen, it's all right.**

Nokuri picked up his comlink and contacted the Farmonian authorities:

**- This is Jedi Master Kurundi****. You may send the firespeeders now. It is safe.**

In the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Jedi Knight Jacen Ocera was standing besides a window, watching the traffic on the capital of the Republic. He wore new Jedi robes, much lighter in colour than what he had preferred before. He had not been expelled from the Jedi Order as he had thought self, but he was not to participate in the war anymore. Instead he would stay in the Temple and pass on his experience to other Padawans so that they would not make the same mistakes as he did. The people of Farmoni probably held a grudge against him, they had not accepted the explanation that a Jedi had turned to evil, but now was good again.

Jacen could not think too much on this, deep down he knew it was not his fault, but he still carried a lot of guilt within himself.

Nokuri entered the room, he smiled at Jacen.

**- How are you feeling?**

**- I'm fine. **Nokuri looked at him for a moment.

**- You do know why Dooku chose you?**

**- Because I am weak.**

**- No! **Nokuri was immediately serious. **– Don't think like that, because it isn't true. You were chosen because you were in a position you should never have been put in from the beginning. That's all. And as for weak, if Dooku looked at you as a weak person he was proven wrong.**

Jacen looked at him with a confused face.

**- You turned away from the dark side, that doesn't always happen with other dark Jedi.**

**- But you were there to help me.**

**- Nevertheless. You have shown the Sith that there is still strength within the Jedi. That we don't fall as easy as they believed we would. And as long as only a few Jedi don't succumb to the dark side and stick to our teachings, the Jedi will never fall.**

Jacen looked at his friend and smiled, Nokuri had always been able to cheer him up and this was no exception. He also knew in his heart that what he had said was true; the Jedi would never fall.


End file.
